INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF TEENAGE MOTHERS RESILIENCY IN OVERCOMING ADVERSITIES IN PREGNANCY AND EARLY MOTHERHOOD IN SOUTH AFRICA

The phenomenon of teenage motherhood is a major concern worldwide. The teenage mothers endure many challenges that could affect their academic goals and successes if there is insufficient support. However, some teenage mothers manage to develop certain forms of flexibility to manage these adversities. This study explored the teenage mothers' resiliency in overcoming adversities in pregnancy and early motherhood at a rural high school in South Africa. Within the Interpretative Phenomenological qualitative paradigm, an exploratory case study research design was adopted. 10 participants (N=10) were selected from a rural high school district using a purposive sampling technique. The study employed semi-structured interviews to collect data. The findings demonstrated that teenage mothers were resilient to continuing and completing their schooling by adopting self-motivation and school and family support. This study suggested that the South African Department of Education should develop a training programme for teenage mothers on psychosocial adjustment mechanisms to help them cope with their situations.